The 5 most successful Grand National trainers : Features : Grand National The 5 most successful Grand National trainers Free Bet Dan Fitch takes a look at the men behind the horses that have won the Grand National, as he profiles the trainers who've had the most success in the race. Behind every great horse is a great trainer. At the 2011 Grand National, Nigel Twiston-Davies will attempt to win the race for a third time and join the elite brand of post-war trainers who have enjoyed more than two wins at Aintree. Twiston-Davies will be looking at the likes of Hello Bud, who is available at [40.0], to allow him to enter the history books alongside the following legends of the training track. Here are the five most successful Grand National trainers. 5. Neville Crump - 3 wins Neville Crump picked up his first Grand National win in 1948, when Sheila's Cottage became the first mare to win the race since 1902, despite a starting price of an unfancied 50-1.

Crump's second winner came in 1952, when Teal was victorious, after the race had to be re-started when the forty seven runners charged the tape. His third and final win came in the first televised National in 1960, when the favourite Merryman II romped home. 4. Tim Forster - 3 wins It's fair to say that Tim Forster was a pessimist. When the American amateur jockey asked Forster for advice before setting off on Ben Nevis in the 1980 Grand Nationa, Forster replied: "Keep remounting." Despite his trainer's lack of faith, the 40-1 shot went on to win the race. That was Forster's second National win, after first winning the race with Well To Do in 1972. His third came in 1985 with Last Suspect, but very nearly didn't occur. With Forster downbeat about Last Suspect's chances, it was only due to the insistence of it's jockey Hywel Davies that the horse ran. It came in as a 50-1 winner. 3.

Vincent O'Brien - 3 wins In the fifties, Vincent O'Brien achieved the notable distinction of training the winner of three successive Grand Nationals, with three different horses. He started the run in 1953, when the 20-1 shot Early Mist ran to victory. 1954 saw O'Brien train his second National winner when Royal Tan won the race, before completing a hat-trick in 1955, as Pat Taafe rode Quare Times to Grand National success. 2. Ginger McCain - 4 wins In 1972 Lurline Brotherton put an inconsistent horse up for sale at an auction at Doncaster. Donald 'Ginger' McCain paid 6000 Guineas for the horse, on behalf of Noel Le Mare. The horse was called 'Red Rum'. Red Rum and his trainer Ginger McCain would enjoy their first Grand National win in 1973 and would be victorious again in 1974, before completing a historic treble in 1977.

No jumper has ever won the National on more occasions, but McCain would prove that his success wasn't just a case of getting lucky with an exceptional horse, when he won a fourth Grand National in 2004 with Amberleigh House - a remarkable 31 years after his original triumph. 1. Fred Rimell - 4 wins McCain's fourth National win equalled the record set by Fred Rimell, whose achievement was all the more special for the fact that his wins came with four different horses. Rimell's first win came in 1956, when Devon Loch inexplicably collapsed to allow ESB to snatch victory. His second followed five years later in 1961, as Nicolaus Silver became only the second grey in history to win the National. Gay trip provided Rimell with his third victory in 1970, but perhaps the greatest achievement was left till last. In 1976 Rimell's Rag Trade managed to pip the legendary Red Rum, to give his trainer a final victory. Grand National Records and Statistics Grand National Records and Statistics Grand National Records – Horses Red Rum is the most successful horse in the history of the Grand National with three Grand National Wins.

Only 12 mares have won the Grand National in the history of the event. Only two greys have won the Grand National in the history of the event. The most horses to start a Grand National were 66 in 1929. The most horses to finish a Grand National were 23 in 1984. The fewest horses to finish the Grand National were two in 1928. Golden Miller remains the only horse to have won the Grand National and the Cheltenham Gold Cup in the same year. The 1905 Grand National winner, Kirkland, is the only Welsh horse to have won the race. Only four horses have won back-to-back Grand Nationals – Red Rum, The Colonel, Reynoldstown and And-el-Kader. Grand National legend Manifesto holds the records for most Grand Nationals run, competing in eight. He won the race on two of these occasions. Earth Summit is the only horse to have achieved the treble of winning the Welsh Grand National, Scottish Grand National and the Grand National at Aintree.

Grand National Records – Jockeys The most successful jockey in the history of the Grand National is George Stevens with five wins between 1856 and 1870. Tom Oliver raced the most Grand Nationals, participating in 18 races and winning three of these. The youngest jockey to win the Grand National was Bruce Hobbs, partnering Battleship in 1938 at the age of 17. The oldest jockey to win the Grand National was Dick Saunders, partnering Grittar in 1982 at the age of 48. Two female jockeys have completed the Grand National – Geraldine Rees in 1982 and Rosemary Henderson in 1994. Grand National Records – Trainers Fred Rimell and Ginger McCain are the two most successful trainers in the history of the Grand National, with four titles apiece. Fred Rimell is generally credited with this record as each title was achieved with a different horse. Vincent O’Brien holds the record for most consecutive Grand National wins, with three wins from 1953-1955. Each win was achieved with a different horse.

Free Bets 10 Grand National Facts You Must Read | The List Love 10 Grand National Facts You Must Read by The List Love · March 26, 2015 The Grand National is an annual horse racing event that’s held at Aintree Racecourse in Liverpool, England. This year’s Grand National is scheduled to take place on 11th April, 2015. In celebration of this historic sporting event, The List Love is offering 10 Grand National facts you must read . 1. The First Grand National 1949 pic – Image via The first Grand National was officially held in 1839. Horses jumped 30 fences during the course of the handicap steeplechase that was 4 miles 3 ½ furlongs over two circuits. The winning horse was called Lottery and came in at 5-1. 2. The Fastest Grand National Time image via The horse with the fastest time at the annual horse racing event belongs to Mr Frisk, who completed the race in just 8 minutes, 47.8 seconds in 1990. 3.

Female Grand National Jockeys image via The first female jockey to take part in the Grand National was Charlotte Brew, who rode 200-1 chance horse Barony Fort back in 1977. The horse, however, finished its journey at the 26th fence. The most successful female jockey at the Grand National is Katie Walsh, who steered Seabass, a 8/1 horse, into third place at the 2012 Grand National. 4. Red Rum image via You cannot write about the history of the Grand National and not mention Red Rum , who was, and still is, the most successful racehorse in the Grand National. The record-breaking horse won the racing event three times, in 1973, 1974 and 1977. He also finished in second place in both 1975 and 1976. Red Rum is therefore buried at the winning post. 5. Grand National Viewers image via The Grand National is one of the most celebrated horse racing events in history, and so it is probably no surprise that 9 million people in the UK alone will watch the race. How many across the world?

600 million people. So, yeah, it’s pretty popular. 6. Aintree Racecourse image via Aintree Racecourse welcomes 154,000 people over 3 days, with 77,000 people watching the event at the venue on the day of the Grand National. Race-goers have the option of over 80 bars, and they are believed to consume a quarter of a million pints of beer, 38,000 shots and 5,000 cocktails. On top of that, they’ll enjoy 75,000 cups of tea and coffee, as well as 3,500 rumps of lamb. 7. The Oldest Grand National Winning Horse image via The oldest horse to win the Grand National was Peter Simple, who was just 15 years old when he run the race in 1853. 8. The Oldest and Youngest Winning Jockeys image via The youngest jockey to lead a horse to glory is Bruce Hobbs, who run the race with Battleship in 1938.

The oldest jockey to win the Grand National was Dick Saunders, who was 48 years old when he won with Grittar in 1982. Continue Reading Below Grand National Grand National Updated on January 11, 2017 The Grand National is held annually at the Aintree racecourse in Liverpool, arguably it is the biggest test of horse and jockey in the world. The grueling four and a half mile course has thirty fences, many measuring more than seven foot. with a field of forty runners the race is one of England's biggest sporting spectacle. Of the forty horses that start the race an average of just 30% will have the stamina to complete the course. On more than one occasion horses have been killed as they tackled the notorious fences. These deaths have led to animal rights campaigners calling for the race to be banned. The Grand National race is watched by over 500 million people worldwide on television, making it more popular than the NFL Super Bowl and Formula 1 car racing. The race is particulaly popular in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, and the Far East.

2017 Grand National The schedule is set for the Grand National Horse Race, also known as the National, with the official race date of Saturday 8th April, 2017. The race is an annual event held near Liverpool, England at Aintree Racecourse. This year's field promises to be as strong and entertaining as ever. The three-day event begins on Thursday, 6th April, 2017, with Opening Day. The first day of the Aintree Festival features the The Aintree Hurdle and the Fox Hunters’ Steeple Chase. Several entertainment events are planned for the kickoff celebration Too. The festivities continue on Friday 7th April with Ladies Day, which is a traditional event that features fashion and style from the female attendants. Various goody bags and prize giveaways for the ladies are part of the plan during this year's festivities. The focus on the ladies is not the only order of the day, of course. Every day of the championship extravaganza is a race day, as the Melling Steeple Chase is the featured race of the day. This has been a highly challenged event in the past few years and should be the same this year.

The Grand National Horse Race is finally run on Saturday 8th April and is the culmination of the week's schedule. The championship has a storied past among racehorse professionals and within the British culture. It is a specialized race industry that is native to the United Kingdom and enjoyed by everyone up to the Royal Family, who are not only big fans, but are horse owners themselves. The Grand National Horse Race is an historic event dating back officially to 1839, though there were predecessors to the first official race, and it has been an iconic representation of United Kingdom sports very similar to its professional golf tournaments. The Aintree Racecourse is one of the most difficult courses in the world and provides an excellent course to test the best of the steeple chase racehorse class. The energy infused by the local city of Liverpool, with a population of over 400,000 and a surrounding urban area of over 800,000, will make this year's championship a major success and well worth attending. Jockeys Jockey Falls During Steeple Chase Jockey A.P.

McCoy falls during race Grand National History The Grand National is one of the oldest horse races in the world, it has been run each year since 1836 (Excluding the years during WW1 and WW2) the first winner of the race was a horse called 'The Duke'. The international appeal of the race has seen a number of foreign breed horses triumph, most notable Irish horses have been the most successful in recent years, in 1938 the American horse 'Battleship' won the race, it should be no surprise to find out Battleship's father was the awesome racehorse 'Man O'War'. It should be noted that French breed horses have the worst record in the race, just one winner in the last one hundred years. The race has also featured in a number of movies, the best known being the 1944 movie 'National Velvet' a fictional account of a young girl disguising herself as a male jockey to get a ride in the race, at that time women jockeys were not allowed to enter the National - the part was played by Liz Taylor, who once quipped that her best leading man was a Horse!

Today women jockeys are allowed to enter, the best finish by a woman in the race was in 1994 when Rosemary Henderson came 5th. The English Grand National is considered one of the biggest sporting events in the United Kingdom alongside the F.A. Cup, The All English Tennis Championship (Wimbledon) and the Ashes Test Series. Because of this status the Grand National has been added to the list of government 'Protected Sport Events' these events must be shown on terrestrial T.V. channels and the broadcast rights cannot be sold domestically to Satellite broadcasters like Sky, Setanta Or Cable Channels. Full List Of Protected Sporting Events In The United Kingdom The Grand National The Derby Olympic Games It's remarkable to think now that the Grand National could have been omitted from the list. In 1973 the Grand National race was in serious trouble, under-investment at Aintree Grand National course meant that crowd numbers had dwindled to an at time low, and the owners of the course where looking to sell it off the land to a local property developer. In 1973 the course was sold to the developer Bill Davies, who promised to keep the race running.

The first National under Davies ownership saw admission prices to the Aintree course tripled, many in the press speculated that 1973 would be the last running of the great race. Indeed, without the intervention of English bookmakers 'Ladbrokes' the 1973 race could have been the last. Ladbrokes started a campaign in that year to keep the race running, eventually Ladbrokes took over the running of the race and improved the course and facilities. It is doubtful if the motives for securing the future of the race where entirely altruistic on the part of Ladbrokes, when you consider a quarter of the U.K. population bet on the Grand National annually. Grand National Legends As you can imagine as race with a history as long as the Grand Nationals has thrown up more than it's fair share of horse racing legends. Featured below are just a few of the amazing horse's who gone down in racing folklore. Red Rum Red Rum or 'Rummy' as he was affectionately known is without doubt or argument the greatest of all Grand National runners.

He's historical three wins has never been bettered and even when the handicapper loaded the top weight of twelve stone on Red Rum in the 1974 race he still left the rest of the field trailing in his wake. Along with his historic three wins, Rummie also finish in second place twice in the National, on those occasions the ground on the day did not suit him. Red Rum's achievements earned him a place as the UK's most loved horse, although Red Rum was actually Irish! His Grand National racing career ended in 1977 (he was entered into the National in '78 and '79 but injury forced him to withdraw) Red Rum continued to enjoy his celebrity status long after his racing career finished, he even appeared on the BBC's Sports Personality Of The Year T.V. show and made personal appearance's at charity events and had the honour of leading out the runners to the parade ground at Aintree on many occasions. In October 1995 Red Rum died at the age of thirty, a bronze statue has been erected at Aintree in his honour, fittingly Rummie is buried at his favourite place... The finishing post at Aintree!

Foinavon The exact opposite of Red Rum, Foinavon was the least likey winner in the history of the Grand National. This notoriously laid back horse won the 1967 Grand National after every runner fell! Foinavon was so laid back that during one race he stopped to graze on a fence. Which may account for the bookmakers quoting him as 100/1 chance on the day of the race! So badly rated was Foinavon that his owner didn't even attend the Grand National and missed out on horse's moment of glory. We all remember the fable of the Tortoise and the Hare, and in 1967 Foinaon proved that slow and steady really does win the race! At the start of the race in '67 many of the fancied horses took off at a tremendous pace, leaving the plucky Foinavon well behind the leading pack. After the first few fences 'Popham Down' another unfancied horse unseated his rider and continued to run without the jockey on-board.

By fence 23 Popham Down was running wildly ahead of the leading pack, just as the pack attempted to jump the fence Popham ran in front of them causing a huge pile up of horses. Nearly all the runners fell in the ensuing melee, apart from one horse at the very back of the field, Foinavon who's jockey ( John Buckingham) had the advantage of seeing the pile up a long time before reaching it, Buckingham skillfully pulled Foinavon around the carnage and jumped the fence cleanly, Foinavon and Buckingham then began the long run for the finishing post, even with a huge lead in the race Foinavon was nearly caught in the final furlongs by a horse who had fallen, been remounted and continued to run the course. In the end Foinavon had just enough in the tank to complete the most remarkable victory in the National. In honour of the victory fence 23 was renamed 'Foinavon' You can view the amazing 1967 Grand National below.

Foinavons Victory In 67 Devon Loch We move from one of the luckiest Grand National winners of all time (Foinavon) to one of the unluckiest losers 'Devon Loch'. The 1956 Grand National saw HM Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother horse Devon Loch entered into the famous race, the Royal Family have been keen supporters of racing in the U.K. and that's why racing is still known today as the sport of Kings. Dick Francis, who went on to become a famous Author was the jockey on-board Devon Loch. Dick and Devon put in a near flawless run that day clearing all the 30 fences cleanly, before headed into the final furlongs well ahead of the nearest second placed horse 'E.S.B' ridden by Dave Dick. As Devon Loch approached the finishing post the horse suddenly and without reason appeared to jump into the air and then collapsed in a heap on the turf! E.S.B. flew past Devon Loch and won the '56 National as jockey Dick Francis tried desperately to get the horse back on track. Many theories have been put forward as to why the horse collapsed in such dramatic fashion, at first it was rumour that Devon Loch had suffered a heart attack.

However, the Aintree course vet ruled this out. Dick Francis maintains to this day that the cause of the collapse was the immense noise made by the crowd in the home straight as it became clear to the punters on course that the Queen Mother was going to get her first National winner! It may seem strange to younger generations but the Queen Mother was a hugely loved and respected by the general public and particularly those who shared her passion for horse racing. You will often hear sports commentators refer to teams or sportsmen 'Doing A Devon Loch' is used as a metaphor used to explain sudden or last minutes failures. The Queen Mother who was at Aintree to witness the events that day reportedly turn to an aid and said "Oh, that's racing". Some years later the Queen Mother met the winning jockey Dave Dick and enquired "What did you think when my horse fell down?" to which Dave Dick replied "I was absolutely delighted, Ma'am," It's goes without saying that he never got a Knighthood! Bob Champion and Aldaniti True sporting legends are usually made, not born. A few greats have been destined for fame since birth though.

Bob Champion is one of these natural-born legends, but his courage and dedication are the qualities for which he is most admired. Champion, born in Yorkshire, England in 1948, was surrounded by riders and hunters from the very beginning. His father was an avid huntsman who took young Bob riding frequently. These early experiences instilled in him the love of horses and riding that would eventually carry him to a Grand National championship. At only 15 years old, Bob Champion won his first horse race. After his initial taste of victory, he continued to race on the National Hunt circuit. His special way with the horses continued to win him races, as well as respect. He also proved to have a special way with women. His tempestuous love affairs were well-known and sometimes amusing to those around him. Champion tried his luck racing in America and continued to enjoy success. His career eventually took him back to Britain, where he had dreams of winning the Grand National. He raced in the Grand National eight times after returning to Britain, always keeping his eyes on the big prize. However, his career and life took a major detour on the way to fulfilling his dreams.

In 1979, Bob Champion was diagnosed with testicular cancer. In true Champion fashion, Bob refused to believe that his doctors were correct. He stubbornly insisted that there was a mistake in the diagnosis. The diagnosis wasn't wrong. Doctors gave Champion a maximum of eight months to live, with only a 40 percent chance of survival. Things looked grim, but he was given a second chance. An extremely aggressive program of chemotherapy, if begun immediately, might just beat the odds. Champion agreed to begin the treatment the very same day. Most people who have been diagnosed with cancer and told that they will most likely die within months would take some time away from work. Not Bob Champion. He returned to training and racing while still in treatment and set his sights on winning the 1980 Grand National. Unfortunately, Champion's treatment had not been easy on his body. A large-scale infection nearly claimed his life and he was forced to put off his Grand National ambitions temporarily. Champion was soon recovering from his various hardships and back in training. In 1981, he rode Aldaniti in the Grand National. The two were a perfect pair: both hard-working, stubborn and recovering from serious health problems.

Champion's cancer and Aldaniti's three leg injuries caused almost everyone to speculate that the team wouldn't get near the winner's circle. The two survivors melded on the Aintree Racecourse that April day in 1981. Their victory is one of the most memorable and emotional moments ever to be recorded in horse racing. Coming in four-and-a-half lengths ahead of the competition, Champion and Aldaniti beat the odds and made history. After his Grand National championship, Bob Champion continued to race and win until 1983. By that time, he had approximately 500 wins to his credit. After leaving racing, he focused his energy on training horses and running the Bob Champion Cancer Trust. The charity has raised millions of pounds for cancer research and Champion continues to raise funds for it to this day. Although Aldaniti died in 1997 and Bob Champion retired from training horses in 1999, they are both legends of the horse racing world. Their legacy is a sense of hope for all those who follow in their paths. They taught us that, even when things look desperate, success is just over the next fence for those who choose to make the jump.

How To Spot A National Winner Many people think that it's very difficult to pick a Grand National winner. After all, the race is four miles long with over 30 fences and has forty horses competing. Surely this race is more about pure luck than jockey skill or horse ability. This is the public perception of the race, in fact the seeming unpredictability nature the race is one of the reason it's so popular with the general public. For many people betting on the Grand National is the only time in the year that they wager money on horse racing. Generally the people who bet on this race do not study racing form, have no knowledge about the quality of the horses running and most will bet on a horse whose name means something to them or they will randomly select a horse using the time honoured method of closing their eyes and sticking a pin the newspaper! People use these methods because the common misconception is that the Grand National is more of a lottery than a horse race. This couldn't be further from the truth! If you take a look at type of horses that actually win the race you start to see a very familiar pattern. Using this pattern of past winners you can discount nearly three quarters of the runners instantly, that's right!

Nearly three quarters of the field has absolutely no chance of winning. You might ask how you can discount so many runners instantly? Well, lets take a look at the record books and see what type of horse's haven't won the Grand National in the last 20 years. French Horses ~ Only one French horse has won the National for 100 years! Mon Mome in 2009 (100/1) American Horses ~ No American winner in the last 20 years! Young Horses ~ No horse younger than 8 has won in the last 20 years! Weight ~ Only 1 winner carrying more than 11 stone in the last 20 years! Odds ~ Only 2 winners lower than 10/1 odds in the last 20 years! So now you know what kind of horses to avoid, lets take a look at the type of horse which have won in the last 20 years. Irish Horses ~ The Irish take few things in life as seriously as horse racing, so look for Irish owned and breed horses, especially those of J.P. McManus.

Long Distance Experience ~ The National is a massively long run for any horse, only look the runners with experience and wins over 3+ miles Watch The Weight ~ Horses carrying around between 10 and 11 stone have the best chance of winning If you apply the above tips to this years runners you will only be left with about 10 horses which fit the bill. If you bet on one of the ten horses each~way, then you will get a return even if it comes in 4th, dramatically increasing you chances of picking a winner. Grand National 2016 It is illegal for anyone aged under 18 to gamble Grand National Welcome to your complete guide to the Aintree Grand National - an indispensable aid to finding the winner of the world's most famous and prestigious horse race. We have tipped five of the last 12 Grand National winners, including Pineau De Re at odds of 33-1 in 2014 and Neptune Collonges at 40-1 in 2012, so be sure to check out our 2016 Grand National tips .

Ladbrokes are again paying FIVE places for each-way bets on the National instead of the usual four - which rewarded people who backed the favourite Shutthefrontdoor last year, who finished fifth. CLICK HERE to claim your 5 places with Ladbrokes. The 2016 Crabbie's Grand National takes place on Saturday 9th April and a total of 22 races will be run during the Grand National 2016 Festival, which starts with Grand Opening Day on Thursday 7th and is followed by Ladies Day on Friday 8th, before Saturday's Grand National Day. Aintree Racecourse will host over 150,000 racegoers across the three days, while an estimated worldwide audience of 600 million people will tune in to see the Grand National live on television on Saturday. Our site contains everything you need to know about this magical race which is one of the highlights of the sporting year. Indeed the four-and-a-half mile marathon event captures the imagination of its millions of watchers around the world, thanks to its ability to consistently produce thrilling finishes and heart-warming stories, as horse and rider try to conquer the mighty Aintree fences.

The Grand National has made the likes of Red Rum, Aldaniti, Jenny Pitman and Ginger McCain household names, whilst fences such as Becher's Brook, The Chair and the Canal Turn are equally familiar. Indeed, given the raceï¿½s long history, it is no surprise that so many milestones have been reached and remarkable stories have unfolded. For example, no horse has run in the Grand National more times than Manifesto, who competed in eight renewals of the race between 1895 and 1904, winning twice, in 1897 and 1899, and finishing third on three other occasions. The Aintree Grand National was first run in 1839 and Bruce Hobbs, aged 17, was the youngest winning jockey in 1938, on Battleship, the smallest horse ever to win. Dick Saunders, aged 48, was the oldest successful rider on Grittar in 1982, his first and only Grand National ride - after which he announced his immediate retirement. Jenny Pitman was the first woman to train a Grand National winner, capturing the race for the first time with Corbiere in 1983.

She succeeded again with Royal Athlete in 1995 and finished second with Garrison Savannah in 1991. In 2009, Venetia Williams became the second woman to saddle a National winner, with Mon Mome (11 years after she had actually ridden in the race). Plenty of the raceï¿½s most fascinating stories revolve around its fearsome obstacles. Did you know that the least number of horses to complete the race is two, in 1928: Tipperary Tim and Billy Barton (who remounted)? Likewise, in 2001, when Red Marauder beat Smarty, only four of the forty horses completed, with two of these having to be remounted. See our Grand National History and Facts and Figures sections for more fascinating Grand National stories - charting this most famous of horse races down the years. With history in mind, we are advocates of learning lessons from the past when trying to find the winners of the future. For example, did you know that prior to last yearï¿½s renewal, only Red Rum had managed to carry more than 11st 5lbs to victory since 1957?

Many Clouds broke that sequence with his win in 2015 under a welter burden of 11st 9lbs. Just as noteworthy is the fact that no seven-year-old has won for more than 70 years and we have to go back to 1915 to find the last successful six-year-old. In fact, since 1992, only eight of the six and seven-year-olds to take their chance have even completed the course (including Cause of Causes last season and Kruzhlinin the year before that). Experience, therefore, counts in the Grand National and 17 of the last 20 winners (including 10 of the last 11) were aged either 9, 10 or 11.

In that period there have also been two eight-year-old and one twelve-year-old winner, although the last teenager to win the race was over 90 years ago (Sergeant Murphy in 1923) and none have made the frame since 1969 (Hello Bud was a gallant 7th in 2013 at the grand old age of 14, whilst Tranquil Sea was also 7th last year aged 13). For those wanting to see this magnificent event live, we have all of the information youï¿½ll need to make the most of your visit to Aintree, including information on getting to the racecourse, ticket details, and a summary of all of the enclosures and facilities, many of which have been significantly upgraded in recent seasons. As well as its fascinating past, Aintreeï¿½s unique course contributes to the mystique surrounding the event. The fence-building programme starts approximately three weeks before the Grand National meeting is run, with around 150 tonnes of spruce branches sourced and transported from forests in the Lake District. Each fence is made from a wooden frame and covered with the distinctive green spruce.

The Grand National course remains the ultimate test of horse and jockey. The race comprises two full circuits of a 2ï¿½ mile (3,600 metres) racetrack, where challengers face some of the most testing fences in the world of jump racing including Becherï¿½s Brook and The Chair, now two of the most well-known landmarks in the country. Becher's Brook, the sixth fence on the first circuit, was named after Captain Martin Becher who was unseated from his mount, Conrad, and fell into the ditch when leading in the first ever Grand National in 1839. "Water tastes disgusting without the benefits of whisky" he reflected and the obstacle bore his name from that day. When it was first run at Aintree in 1839, the race featured a solid brick wall as one of the obstacles, although that was abandoned after five years. Ahead of the 2013 renewal, some of the fences were re-designed for safety reasons and to aid animal welfare. While all 16 fences still look the same, the heart of four obstacles has been changed.

The third and 11th fences, which are open ditches, have been built using natural birch as their cores, while the 13th and 14th (which are the last two fences second time round in the National) now have plastic birch. These have replaced the traditional rigid timber frames, which had foam padding along the leading edge, but were solid. The hope is that the alternative will be more forgiving. Find out more in our Course and Fences section. The Grand National is also one of the rare major sporting events in which amateurs still can, and do, take on professionals. This applies to both trainers and jockeys and in the 167 running's of the Grand National it has been won on no less than 41 occasions by a horse ridden by an amateur jockey, although it's been 25 years since Marcus Armytage won in record time on Mr Frisk in 1990.

This is hardly surprising as the sport has become ever more professional and the prize money, now over ï¿½1 million under the sponsorship of Crabbieï¿½s, has risen so dramatically that few trainers or owners will entrust potential winners to jockeys still perceived in some quarters as to be inexperienced or part-timers. However, part of the Grand National's enduring charm is not the amateurs who succeeded, but those riders from the Corinthian ranks whose fruitless, and often hopeless, attempts to conqueror the fearsome fences that have added so much colour to the event. They have included: the Duque de Alberquerque, Tim Durant, Aidan Oï¿½Connell and Brod Munro-Wilson - a mix of playboys and men who worked as deep sea divers for six months a year and spent the other six trying to win the National. We may not see their like again, but the amateurï¿½s long love affair with the Grand National is not over yet, proven by 2011 runner-up Oscar Time - who was ridden by amateur jockey and millionaire businessman, Sam Waley-Cohen.

The same horse and jockey were also an admirable fourth in 2014 (before going on to win the Becher Chase that December) and 15th last year. © Where To Bet Ltd 2004-16 (contact us: wheretobet@hotmail.com) The Grand National - Most Famous Steeplechase in the World Gambling Blog The Grand National The Grand National is one of the most famous horse races in the world. It is a National Hunt race, and is arguably the most demanding of all races for the horses taking part. The distance and the higher than average fences combine to make simply getting to the finish line something of a challenge. The race takes place annually at the Aintree course in Liverpool, and is a major event that attracts huge global audiences. On this page we have provided a short guide to the Grand National, covering race details, its history and the betting. OVERVIEW OF THE GRAND NATIONAL First Run : 4 miles, 3 furlongs, 110 yards (7,141 meters) rating of at least 120 Grand National History Officially, the first Grand National was held in 1839.

It is believed, however, that that it was run for the three previous years as well. During those three years it coincided with another major race of the time – the Great St. Albans Chase. That race was discontinued in 1838 and that, combined with a couple of other key factors, helped to make the Grand National a more popular event. From 1839 onwards the race attracted a great deal of attention and good sized fields of top horses. When the well-known equine figure Edward Topham took charge of the race in 1848 he helped ensure its continued success. His family went on to purchase Aintree Racecourse later, before selling it privately during the 1970s. Since it was first run, the Grand National has been held every year apart from during the two World Wars. It has had many famous winners and there have been some particularly notable races. Red Rum & Other Famous Winners To date, the most successful horse in the Grand National has been Red Rum. One of the best known racehorses of all time, he won this race three times.

Along with his victories in 1973, 1974, and 1977, he also finished second in 1975 and 1976. His final win was particularly special for his stunning finish, when he came from over 15 lengths behind to gain the lead just before the post. Other famous winners are Tipperary Tim and Foinavan, both of which won at odds of 100/1. Tipperary Tim won in 1928 and benefitted from awful weather and very heavy ground. Of the 42 starters, he was the only one not to fall. One of the fallers was remounted by his jockey, but it was Tipperary Tim who got past the post first. Foinavan won in 1967, also taking advantage of numerous fallers. He was at the back of the field when a huge pile-up was caused by a loose horse running across the track. Avoiding the resulting carnage he overtook the field and, although several horses were remounted, got to the winning post first.

The Devon Loch National One of the most notable Grand Nationals took place in 1956, and is now known as the Devon Loch National. Devon Loch was one of the horses running – owned by the Queen Mother – and looked set to record a victory with a five length lead after the final fence. Somewhat bizarrely, he made an unnecessary leap and then fell to the ground before being overtaken. The National That Never Was 1993 saw one of the most heartbreaking Grand Nationals of all time. A false start was signaled following a jockey getting caught in the starting tape, which had not risen properly, but most of the jockeys failed to notice. When stewards subsequently tried to stop the race they were ignored by some jockeys who mistook them for protesters who had previously stormed the track. Seven horses finished and the winner was Esha Ness. The winning jockey was understandably overjoyed but despair soon followed when the race was voided. It was not re-run. Grand National Betting The challenging nature of the Grand National means it is very unpredictable, and this makes the betting very difficult. It’s one of the hardest races to pick a winner in and yet this does not seem to put people off.

Betting interest in the race is huge, and even people that don’t usually bet will often place a wager or two. Because of the high profile of the Grand National and the level of betting interest, many of the leading bookmakers offer special offers around the time of this race. These can include improved sign up bonuses and paying additional places. The best offers can usually be found at online betting sites. Horse Racing

Question: Which was the most successful Grand National horse?
Answer: Red Rum